About me


CURRENT AFFILIATION
American University of Armenia (Yerevan)
CERGE-EI Foundation (Prague)
Phone +374-60-612567
E-mail: [email protected]
EDUCATION
Graduate School in the Economics and Finance of Public Administration (DEFAP)
Catholic University of Milan, Italy
Russian-Armenian University (Yerevan)
ACCA (UK)
I’m an Associate Professor of Economics at the American University of Armenia (AUA) and affiliate fellow at CERGE-EI (Prague). Prior joining AUA in September 2014, I’ve been working for years as a Senior Consultant at AVAG Solutions Ltd, Armenian consulting firm providing advisory services to international donor organizations (World Bank, EBRD, USAID, etc.). My research interests are mainly Political Economics and Economics of Transition Countries. Recent consultancy research projects were related to study of Armenian Labor Market, development of Armenia Development Strategy (ADS), Assistance to Tax Code development, including analysis of redistributive tax policies, Public Finance management reforms. Currently I am teaching various microeconomic courses to undergraduate and master students.
I got my PhD degree in Economics from Graduate School of Public Economics (DEFAP) of the Catholic University of Milan (Italy) in 2014. I’ve also completed ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK) professional education scheme back in 2010.
In this simple webpage you will find further details about my research, consultancy and teaching activities.

Presentation of ISTC Research Projects Held at AUA

BAB ’18 Seniors Awarded For Their Capstone’s Honors Thesis Projects

Behavioral Science in Development
Research
Peer-reviewed Publications
- , Set them (almost) free: Discretion in electoral campaigns under incomplete information. Journal of Public Economic Theory. 1– 28. . (2019) https://doi.org/10.1111/jpet.12363
- Khachatryan, K, Is the model “loans‐plus‐savings” better for microfinance in Eastern Europe and Central Asia? A propensity score matching comparison. Review of Development Economics. 00: 1– 22. , . (2019) https://doi.org/10.1111/rode.12589
- Baghdasarayan V., Iannantuoni G. and Maggian V., (2018) “Electoral Fraud and Voter Turnout: Experimental Study”, European Journal of Political Economy, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2018.12.001
- Barseghyan G. & Baghdasaryan V. (2019): Optimum currency area theory: evidence from post-Soviet countries and implications for Eurasian Economic Union, Post-Communist Economies, https://doi.org/10.1080/14631377.2018.1537734
Working Papers
- Baghdasaryan V., Grigoryan A., Asian Development Bank financed project “Good jobs for inclusive growth” 2016-2017. Paper title: Employment and Labor Market Policies in Armenia (completed and submitted to ADB).
Submitted papers
- Baghdasaryan V., Barseghyan G., Child care fee abolition and female labor supply: Quasi-experimental evidence from a developing country ?
- Baghdasaryan V., Sarikyan A., Location-based tax incentives for non-farm rural enterprises: unintended consequences and actual results
- Baghdasaryan V., Mersland R., Strom O., Multibanking improves the small entrepreneur’s performance: Evidence from a developing country (under review)
- Chiappero-Martinetti, E., Spreafico, A., Baghdasaryan, V., A capability approach-based framework for measuring women empowerment in rural Kenya
Work in Progress
- Electoral outcomes in citizen candidate model with ideology and competence signals, jointly with Elena Manzoni (University of Bergamo) and Michela Cella (University of Milan-Bicocca)
- Electoral Fraud, Voter Participation and Social Capital, jointly with Valeria Maggian (Ca Foscari University) and Philipp Chapkowski
- Borrowing behavior and performance of Microfinance clients in Ecuador, jointly with Roy Mersland (University of Agder) and Oystein Strom (Oslo Metropolitan University)
- Own and Neighbor Audit Spillover Effects on Tax Compliance Behavior using population of Armenian taxpayer data, jointly with Arsine Sarikyan (American University of Armenia)





MY EXPERIENCE
PROGRAM CHAIR, MASTER OF SCIENCE IN MANAGEMENT, AUA
Since 2017
MSM is a 15 month program for fresh bachelor graduates looking for deepening their knowledge in management. Together with the Dean of the college I am responsible for the overall management of the program. I am particularly focusing on extending experiential learning opportunities of the students.
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, AUA
Since 2020
My current research interests are in political economy, labor economics, microfinance and economics of transition in general. I teach a number of courses on undergrad and grad level across various programs in the College with a focus in microeconomics and microeconometrics.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, AUA
2014 -2020
SENIOR LECTURER, RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN UNIVERSITY
2012 - 2014
I returned to RAU on part-time basis as CERGE-EI Teaching Fellow. I was teaching Game Theory to Senior Economics majors.
SENIOR CONSULTANT, AVAG SOLUTIONS LLC
2012 - 2014
The Company is one of the leaders in the country in public sector consulting. There was a very diversified portfolio of interesting projects - Armenia Development Strategy (ADS), Assistance in Tax code development, Public Finance management reforms, analysis of Armenia's integration into Eurasian Economic Union. More information on projects can be found in my CV, as well as in the Consulting Projects section of this website.
- Study on Skills for the Green Transition in Armenia / PPMI (Lithuania) / European Training Foundation (Role: Country expert, August - October 2022)
- Alternative Methods of Detecting Tax Fraud: Machine learning application in improving product tracking and spatial analysis of taxpayers’ behavioral response to audits /MSRF / AUA (Role: Principal Investigator, June 2021 – March 2022)
- Applied Behavioral Scientist, SDG Innovation Lab / UNDP Armenia (Since August, 2021)
- Study on Crafts and skills in Armenia / PPMI (Lithuania) / European Training Foundation (Role: country expert (February 2021 – January 2022)
- Study on Platform Work in EAP countries / PPMI (Lithuania) / European Training Foundation (Role: Labor Market expert (August 2020 – February 2021)
- Alternative Methods of Detecting Tax Fraud /MSRF / AUA (Role: Principal Investigator, August 2019 – July 2020)
- Business Consultations Mechanisms Assessment Project / AVAG Solutions / USAID (Role: Coordinating Consultant (July – August 2017)
- Study on Trade Facilitation in South Caucasus / ISET Policy Institute (ISET-PI) / UNDP (Role: Armenia Country Expert) (March – July 2017)
- The Court Users’ Satisfaction Survey; Strengthening the Independence, Professionalism and Accountability of the Justice System in Armenia /Council of Europe/Europe Union (Role: Individual Consultant: Data Analyst/Economist) (July-September 2016)
- Assistance to Tax code development for Armenia, AVAG Solutions/Deloitte Consulting/USAID/Ministry of Finance (Role: Consulting on Excise taxation reforms and Personal Income Tax deductions in Armenia) (July-August 2015)
- Social-economic assessment of the projected contribution of the Amulsar Gold Project (Role: Responsible for analysis and Reporting) (December 2014 – February 2015; AVAG Solutions/ for Lydian International)
- Assistance in the review of water tariffs in Armenia, Willingness to Pay survey (Role: Willingness to pay survey methodology consultant), (May – August 2014; AVAG Solutions/ DHInfrastructure LLC/ World Bank)
- Training for the specialists of Ministry of Finance on the methods of assessing tax expenditures under the Tax Reform Project. (Role: developer and trainer), (April – May, 2014; AVAG Solutions/Deloitte Consulting/USAID)
- Deepening Policy Based Budgeting and Strengthening Public Investment Management Systems in Armenia (Role: Consultant on Public Investment Management). (February – August; 2014; AVAG Solutions/Ministry of Finance/World Bank)
- Public Finance Management in South Caucasus, Assistance to Ministry of Finance and other authorities in implementing Program Budgeting reforms, (January 2013 – February 2014; GIZ);
- Tax exemptions assessment project, (August – September, 2013; State Revenue Committee of Armenia / World Bank);
- Assistance to Finalize Draft Armenia Development Strategy Document (Consultant, April 2013 – date; AVAG Solutions/USAID);
- Tax Reform Project (TRP), (Consultant, January 2013 – date; AVAG Solutions/Deloitte Consulting/USAID);
- Armenia Development Strategy (ADS) for 2012-2025 (Consultant on Economic development issues and responsible for Labor Market section of the Strategy, September – December, 2012; AVAG Solutions/USAID);
- Measurement of True Costs Related to Medical Processes in Armenian Hospitals (Consultant; October 2008 – August 2009; AVAG Solutions Ltd/ Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia / World Bank)
- Measurement of True Costs Related to Medical Processes in Armenian Hospitals (Consultant; Oct 2008 – Aug 2009; AVAG Solutions Ltd/ Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia / World Bank);
- Armenia: Lake Sevan – PPP Advisory Services (Expert; Apr 2008 – Aug 2009; AVAG Solutions Ltd/State Water Committee of the Ministry of Territorial Administration of the Republic of Armenia / EBRD);
CONTACT


40 Marshal Baghramyan Ave, Yerevan 0019, Armenia

+374 60 61 25 67
